In Sermon Illustrations: "Special Needs Children"

[186]. A Message From A Poem – Musings On Being In Heaven

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 5, 2025

[186]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MUSINGS ON BEING IN HEAVEN This is a lovely poem FOR ME, which is why I wrote it. How much do we think of heaven? I am afraid some are so earth-bound that they give little thought to heaven. Do we know what heaven will be like? Of course we do not. We can only ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, 1 Corinthians 2:9

Tags: The Third Heaven, Jesus, Heaven, Center, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Junk Is A Matter Of Personal Definition

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 10, 2020

I thought I had everything organized and in order. It just shows how useless my thinking is these days. There are many piles in my office and on my desk, and I know what is in each pile. Everything is organized to my specifications. My rule is: if I can't find something, I don't need it. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:3

Tags: Work, Humor, Planning, Office Space

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Oh, The Daze Of My Life

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 30, 2021

When I was young, my mother was quite a fan of a soap opera called “The Days of Our Lives.” I remember the title but I never would watch something like that. However, my mother enjoyed it and so what’s there to complain about. As I was thinking of it, I felt that I should remember the days of my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:4

Tags: Husband, Wife, Wisdom

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What A Wacky World We Live In

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 1, 2023

I like the old saying, “Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.” This is the kind of world we live in today, and I’m still not adjusted to this sort of thing. I’m not sure I will ever adjust to the world around me. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I will be watching the ...read more

Tags: David, Crazy

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It’s Not A Mess Unless I Do It

Contributed by James Snyder on May 2, 2023

When it comes to words, everybody has their own definition. Someone says one word and another person thinks it's altogether something else. For example, when someone says vegetable, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage thinks broccoli. On the other side of the dinner table, I think carrot ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:11

Tags: Words, Mess, Organize

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Why Does Monday Have To Follow Sunday?

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 9, 2024

The older I get, the more I wake up not knowing what day it is. That is particularly true on Mondays. My favorite day of the week is Sunday. I enjoy attending church, fellowshipping with other Christians, and of course, the Sunday worship services. I enjoy Sunday morning and evening like no other ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Stress, Frustration, Planning

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What Happened To My Little Piggy Bank

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 7, 2024

This week, I had to do something I hadn't done before: go to the bank and deal with fraud in my checking account. Someone tried to write a check for $1800 from my account. Fortunately, I didn't have that much money in my account, and I was a little provoked by this incident. How dare ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Money, Banks, Savings

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Journey Of 1,000 Miles Begins With An Apple Fritter

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 12, 2025

Life has many paths, and I have discovered that traveling any of them takes a lot of energy. Unlike The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, my energy comes from those wonderful Apple Fritters. I can't remember the first time I had one, but I vividly remember the last time. Trying to get ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Agreement, Discussion, Apple Fritters

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Boy, Oh Boy, What A Day It Was

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 27, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder Throughout my years, I have had many crazy days. I guess it's crazy days that develop character. If so, I have a lot of character. I never had a day quite like last week. Everything seemed to go wrong for me. When we got up, our electricity was off. It had been off for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Accident, Scam

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Where Do Wrinkles Come From?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 12, 2021

Several months ago, I had two cataracts removed from my eyes. How they got there, I don't know. As far as I can remember, they never asked my permission, and furthermore, they never paid rent for being there. According to the eye doctor, and doctors are never wrong, I now have 2020 vision. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 5:8

Tags: Plastic Surgery, Wrinkles

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Discipline Of Delay!" 1 John 5:13-14 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 13, 2005

“The Discipline of Delay!” 1 John 5:13-14 Key verse(s): 14:“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will he hear us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.” I don’t have time for this now! There is not a day in my life when ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:13-14, Job 15:1-5

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

Today Is Super Bowl Sunday, The Most Ballyhooed ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Today is Super Bowl Sunday, the most ballyhooed and widely watched pro football game of all. Someone defined a football game as 75,000 people sitting in a stadium, although they desperately need exercise, watching twenty-two people on the field who desperately need rest. Pastor Bob Schmidgall said ...read more

Tags: Faith

Busted Knuckles

Contributed by Jack Kale on May 10, 2016

Busted Knuckles The blades needed replacement on the old red Murray riding mower we use at the camp. I purchased two 21” blades from Lowes and got around to replacing them this past weekend for the first mow of the year. I hoisted the front end of that insanely heavy grass cutter and secured ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28

Tags: Work, Scars, Pain And Suffering, Hurting

Denomination: *other

Barb’s Life Is A Mess. Her Drinking Problem ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Peck on Feb 1, 2001

Barb’s life is a mess. Her drinking problem is out of control, and her husband Ken refuses to cover for her anymore. Everyone around her sees Barb’s problem, but they all pretend like everything’s just fine, a classic case of denial. Every Sunday Barb and her family dress in their Sunday best and ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 2:1-2

Tags: Growth In Christ, Leadership General, Authenticity, Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Paul Harvey Tells The Story About A Family On ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Sep 8, 2001

Paul Harvey tells the story about a family on Christmas Eve. This family had a tradition where the Mother and children would go to the Christmas Eve service, and the Father would stay home and read the paper. When the family returns home from church, they would all gather to open up their ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Christmas, Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: *other

Here Is A Parody Of Luke's Account Of The Birth ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Nov 13, 2001

Here is a parody of Luke’s account of the birth of Christ, that really underscores just how far our world has let the true meaning of Christmas slip away from them. "And there were in the same country children keeping watch over there stockings by the fireplace. And lo! Santa Claus came upon ...read more

Tags: Birth Of Jesus, Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Adverbs, Nouns, And Dying  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 3, 2002

ADVERBS, NOUNS, AND DYING The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their school work during stays in the city’s hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child’s ...read more

Growing Up In Middle Georgia I Would Help Pick ...  PRO

Contributed by Howard Bagley on Apr 6, 2002

Growing up in middle Georgia I would help pick peaches during the summer to make a little spending money. And it was during that time that I learned the importance of "a time to every purpose under heaven". While working for this elderly gentleman, whom I will call Grif, He wanted to show me how to ...read more

Tags: Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Baptist

Jenna Day Tells Of A Christmas 20 Years Ago That ...  PRO

Contributed by Martin Wiles on Apr 29, 2002

Jenna Day tells of a Christmas 20 years ago that she remembers well. At her small school in central Maine, there were two classes for each grade: the children who got good grades, wore nice clothes and whose parents were in the PTA, and the kids who were in the slow class, and got poor grades. She ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Baptist

Silly Signs  PRO

Contributed by Rick Shockley on Jun 29, 2002

SILLY SIGNS • Bargain basement upstairs. • Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken. • After tea break staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board. • This is the gate of heaven. ...read more

Tags: Second Coming, Jesus Teachings